DANVILLE, Ky. – Hardin-Simmons' women's soccer team advanced to the sectional round of the NCAA Division III Championship with a 4-3 win in a shootout after a 0-0 draw against Centre.

The game was played end-to-end with both teams having chances to score, but in the end the two goalkeepers and defenses kept the other off the board. HSU outshot the Colonels 18-13 and 9-3 on target and the Cowgirls had a 9-4 advantage in corner kicks.

The Cowgirls had a couple of chances early in the first half on a pair of corner kicks but both teams Centre was able to clear the ball off the line. A third chance came when Kami Jones had broken free and was one-on-one with Olivia Alford but Alford was just able to slide in and get to the ball before Jones could get off the shot.

Centre had a couple of shots at Caitlin Christiansen in the first half but she made a couple of nice sliding saves.

One of the Cowgirls best chances in the second half came when Kenne Kessler took the opening kick and dribbled into the box and actually got a decent look against traffic but it barely sailed over the bar. HSU had two more shots in the opening minutes of the second half.

Centre then controlled the ball and play for much of the next 25 minutes in the second half, but the Cowgirl defense was up to the task. The Cowgirls last good chance came in the 81^st minute when Josey Meyer found the end of a centering pass but Alford made the save and neither team had much offense the last 10 minutes of regulation.

Neither team had a big scoring chance in either of the overtimes and the game was settled on penalty kicks.

Centre went first and scored and Josey Meyer answered. Tori Dillard then went for Centre and Christiansen stuffed it, but Kirsten Parrish's shot hit the cross bar and went out to keep it tied at 1-1.

Shannon Murray went next for Centre and her shot was pushed right. Taylor Bernal then converted to make it 3-2 HSU. The teams exchanged three straight makes with Kenne Kessler scoring for the Cowgirls and it came down to Sarah Krisa. The sophomore calmly buried the shot into the bottom corner to send the Cowgirls to the NCAA Sectional round for the second straight year.

Christiansen had three saves for the Cowgirls and Alford had eight saves for the Colonels.

The game is officially registered as a draw and the Cowgirls are 20-1-1 on the season. The Colonels, a Final Four team from a year ago, end their season with a record of 19-1-3.

Hardin-Simmons will play Washington University from St. Louis in the sectional. The bears are 16-2-2 on the year. Trinity (22-0) and Penn State-Berks (19-3-1) are the other two teams. The location has yet to be determined.